On the Invisible Hand, Ritser Brughel manages the ziphead runaway by splitting Security snoops into isolated groups, losing a few but preventing systemic collapse. After consulting Tomas Nau, he restores buffered coordination with Anne Reynolt’s team and confirms there was only a brief local emission lapse with no external leak.

Reviewing logs, Brughel and Podsergeant Kal Omo flag Ezr Vinh’s unusual attention toward Pham Trinli. Bound by Nau’s lenient Rules of Enforcement, they note nothing overt but decide to intensify monitoring. Omo urges using Qeng Ho localizers aboard Hammerfest; Brughel hesitates yet assigns more zipheads to watch Ezr via the temp’s pervasive localizers.

Reports list casualties: Xopi Reung and eight others dead, three damaged; Trixia Bonsol is marked returned to service. In Benny’s parlor, the Qeng Ho debate causes of the runaway and its impact on translations. Numb and ashamed after striking Qiwi Lisolet, Ezr isolates himself, cycles through guilt over Qiwi, fear for Trixia, and suspicion that Trinli’s clumsy act hid real combat skill.

Ezr then covertly researches Trinli under cover of a historical report for Nau. He scatters queries, filters founders present at Brisgo Gap, and lands on S. J. Park’s murky history and honors, including naming a flagship Pham Nuwen. Ezr infers Park shielded a legendary figure and leaps—doubtfully—to Trinli being Pham Nuwen, the Lost Prince.

That night, blinking lights through his eyelids initiate “blinkertalk.” Ezr taps responses on his palm. The other party, running a cell-structured network where only the leader knows all members, recognizes Ezr and postpones further talk.

In the morning, Ezr nearly dismisses it as a dream until a brief, calm look from Trinli strips away the buffoon façade. Ezr understands the contact was real: Trinli is Pham Nuwen, and Ezr now has a clandestine ally within Nau’s prison.